The selection of the Dutch squad has caused a lot of debate. It was only from the mind of Louis van Gaal that it came to be. It's a mistake to think this means it won't work.
Frans Hoek says thatLouis has a clear idea of how he wants his team to play. He was able to see what was available and what wasn't available from a distance.
There is an insistence to Hoek's voice that makes you believe that something others would consider crazy is actually logical. The long time goalkeeper coach has the credentials to back it up.
Hoek has a reputation in the game that is hard to match. He is the author of the book on goalkeeping. When he did his thesis on goalkeeping, he was just 28 years old.
According to Hoek, all of us in Holland are influenced by the philosophy of RinusMichels and JohanCruyff. It is the same for him. Louis is more from the street side than from the street side.
There was a time when Hoek was at the club. His innovative approach to dealing with the back-pass rule helped them win the European Championship in 1995. They've worked together at a number of different places.
The chance to win the World Cup for the Netherlands could be their last stand. They reached the semi-finals in Brazil with a small squad. They will try to get it again.
They parted ways after Manchester United. For the next five years, Van Gaal did not work as a manager. After going to Galatasaray, Hoek pursued projects in America and Japan. There was always a chance that the call would come again.
There was a deal with Louis. Louis asked if he was available if he wanted to do something again. I told Louis what I was planning to do. He always let me know when something happened.
Along with Danny Blind, captain of that great '95 team, they stepped in last year when Frank deBoer left in the wake of defeat to the Czech Republic. The assignment was to take over for the World Cup but it wasn't easy.
I didn't want to leave the projects I was working on so I had a lot of discussions after the call. If we didn't qualify, we'd be out of a job in 10 days.
I think it worked out well.
That's an accurate description.
They won the reverse fixture 6-1 despite the fact that they lost in Turkey. They were top of their Nations League group. There have been fifteen games without a loss.
There have been no suggestions of outdated ideas. Hoek was a member of the working group. He says that they are current. Generations of today are taken into account. Soon, the rhythm came back.
It is as if you have been there before. That is incredible. You zoom in on what you need to zoom in on, and then you analyse and prepare the things that you have to do.
The old master Van Gaal, at 71 years old, and after undergoing extensive radiation treatment, still knows this game better than most. He has made sense. The players know what they need to do in order to succeed.
When defending his reputation, Hoek is at his most passionate. He is never discussed as a coach. No one. The appearance that some players are having difficulty dealing with him is farcical.
"He is so good in the content of his job - and by content I mean reading the game, developing a game plan, how are we going to play against the opponent, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of teams and individuals."
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There is a certain image thatLouis has to the outside world. The picture is from a press conference. The outside world is not the same as the inside one. We can't put a camera in there so you can see how connected the players are. It would be fascinating.
There is always that connection for the players. Quality coaching is recognised by them. They are aware of Louis' qualities and that they can all learn from him. That is a powerful weapon because players want to win.
When the coach can help them reach their aims, they embrace it. He tells the players what's good and what's not so good and what they need to improve on.
They get perspective from him. Players like it when you make them better by doing that. That is what you are seeing now.
After the team qualified for the World Cup, Van Gaal reverted to a 3-4-1 formation. Their Nations League group was topped by beating Belgium home and away. It has coalesced.
Louis knows how to play. It's very clear what type of players are needed. It is clear what is required from each individual. There is a lot of clarity in that. There's no question about it.
There are many questionable selection decisions that can be explained in this way. Mark Flekken is less comfortable with the ball at his feet than other players, which is a requirement for the position under Van Gaal.
There is a demand for the wide centre-backs to carry the ball out from the back when there is a central defender. Nathan Ake is better suited to that task.
It's difficult to explain the other omissions. The talent of Ryan Gravenberch is enormous. He wasn't included. The player who scored three goals in 27 games in Mexico was called back to the team. The man is in the squad.
Those making the selections insist they are nothing but random. The blend is the most important thing for Van Gaal. He thinks that Janssen can bring the best out in other people. Weghorst is also included.
Andries Noppert (Heerenveen) and Remko Pasveer (Ajax) are both from Heerenveen.
Louis' way of thinking is the basis of it. If you want to play a certain way, you need certain types of players. The 3-4-1-2 system is likely to affect a lot of things. The method is explained by Hoek.
From the moment we qualified, the process began. The preparation got started. Different groups of players have had the chance to show what they can do at the national team level.
You have worked with some of them before. Quite a few of them you don't know because you didn't work with them yet, so you invite them for the national team to see how they are.
With so little time to prepare the players, the form that the Netherlands have shown, the certainty that Van Gaal provides, might just make all the difference. Most of the players know what we expect from them.
It is possible that what Van Gaal expects will be different. He said he intended to hand over the team to Ronald Koeman after turning it into a world champion. It would be a great World Cup story.
The perfect end to a great career.
The partnership is one of the best.
The way to say goodbye to Manchester United was not the best way to go. It is possible to say goodbye to active coaching. It will be the last tournament in football.
We will do everything we can to get the best results. We have always done that. All of us know that anything is possible from last year. We are very excited to see it.
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